Plastic Molding Technology Inc. (PMT), an IATF 16949- and ISO 9001-certified manufacturer of precision-engineered, injection-molded plastic components in El Paso, Texas, has been officially verified as a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) by the US Department of Veterans Affairs’ Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE).

The VOSB designation is given to small businesses after a lengthy application process to verify veteran ownership and eligibility. Charles A. Sholtis, CEO and owner of PMT, graduated as a commissioned officer through Villanova University’s NROTC, serving in the US Navy as a lieutenant junior grade. He was the navigation officer aboard the USS Cushing (DD 985), deploying to the Middle East in 1984 on the flagship destroyer.

PMT holds a legacy of veteran leadership, as the company was founded in 1973 by Sholtis’ father, Navy veteran Charles E. Sholtis, after he served during the 1950s in the Atlantic fleet.

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) has been a positive development, Dwight Morgan, Vice President of Corporate Development for M. Holland Co. (Northbrook, IL), a privately held, family-owned North American resin distributor, told PlasticsToday. “We’ve already seen the peso stabilize, which makes doing business in Mexico significantly easier,” said Morgan.

After examining the new agreement, Morgan noted that the deal itself is not that different from NAFTA. “Generally we view this deal as a net positive, not just because it’s settled but because it updates some things that needed to be addressed,” said Morgan.

Providing a brief overview of the USMCA, Morgan pointed out a few positives, including intellectual property protections and stronger labor provisions, which “affect mostly Mexico,” he said. “When you look at the plastics industry, just having some sense of stability going forward is very important and valuable and has us breathing a sigh of relief.”

Charles A. Sholtis, CEO of Plastic Molding Technology Inc. (El Paso, TX), a large custom injection molding company that does a lot of cross-border business, is also breathing a sigh of relief. “It is too soon to tell, but it would appear that the revised NAFTA may benefit U.S. manufacturers. I see more enthusiasm from a business confidence outlook,” he said. “Some uncertainty has been taken out of the mix.”

More than 200 plastics companies opened their doors Oct. 5 to students, educators, job seekers and their greater communities for Manufacturing Day, a national event meant to inspire and motivate a new generation of manufacturers.

El Paso, Texas-based custom injection molder Plastic Molding Technology Inc. held its fifth Manufacturing Day for around 100 attendees, which included students from the University of Texas at El Paso supply chain and operations management organization, Pebble Hills High School and Riverside High School. Students were shown an overview video of the company and then split into two groups.

Those on the facility tour visited different aspects of the operations, from the floor to the engineering department to quality lab. Those in the training room participated in a robotics demonstration and career fair with jobs, apprenticeships and internships.

Plastic Molding Technology, Inc. (PMT), El Paso, Texas, reached a milestone year in 2018, marking the 45th anniversary of the company’s founding. PMT’s roots started in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1973, where Charles E. Sholtis founded the company with one molding press and rented space in an 1800s-era mill building. Over the years, Sholtis grew his business from a small prototype operation to a full-scale custom injection molding facility, eventually relocating the company to El Paso, Texas, in 2003.

“We are currently interviewing to get our first apprentice,” Mary Sholtis, PMT training coordinator, said in an interview. “We aim for three more technicians in tooling, quality and processing.”

The successful applicant for the PMT mechatronics apprenticeship will function as an automation technician. The person selected will need basic knowledge of electronics, mechanics and computers, and will learn about machinery maintenance, project management, and workplace and tool safety practices.

In November, the U.S. Department of Labor’s office of apprenticeship approved the El Paso, Texas, injection molder’s registration for the mechatronics technician program.

Chief Maintenance Engineer John Getlein, PMT’s first apprentice, at work on the factory floor.

Since 2013, the number of apprentices working in the U.S. has risen by 42 percent. And in June 2017, President Trump ordered the federal government to expand industry-recognized apprenticeships nationwide by greatly increasing federal funding used to support such programs.

Today, America has more than 22,000 registered apprenticeship programs. In fiscal 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), more than 530,000 apprentices were at work in federally registered programs. In that year, more than 190,000 individuals entered apprenticeships, and 64,000 participants “graduated” by completing them. More than 2,300 new apprenticeship programs were established nationwide.

Naples, Fla. —​ Plastics pros on two panels at the 2018 Plastics News Executive Forum emphasized the importance of finding the right personnel.

“We’re focused on finding skilled labor that will fit in our company,” said Jim Kepler, president of injection molder Intertech Plastics Inc. of Denver. At the event, held March 6-7 in Naples, Kepler credited the CareerWise Colorado apprenticeship program with “re-energizing” Intertech.

Charles Sholtis, founder of injection molder Plastic Molding Technology Inc. of El Paso, Texas, added that an apprentice program that PMT started when it was based in Connecticut produced an employee who eventually became the firm’s chief maintenance engineer.

As the second-generation CEO of Plastic Molding Technology (PMT), Charles A. Sholtis is leading the company into its 45th anniversary this year. Under his leadership, PMT was awarded the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s 2014 Manufacturer of the Year award and he received the Society of Plastics Engineers’ Business Management Award in 2015. Sholtis sees his stint in the U.S. Navy, the continuation of his dad’s founding philosophies for PMT, and the company’s focus on innovation, technology, U.S. manufacturing and its people as key factors in his and PMT’s success.

Plastic Molding Technology, Inc. (PMT), in El Paso, Texas, participated in MFG DAY by hosting an event for the fourth year in a row; however, this was the first year PMT collaborated with two other El Paso manufacturing businesses, participating in a three-stop MFG DAY tour.

Processors and others in the plastics industry are increasing participating in Manufacturing Day in an effort to help promote the business to youngsters who might not otherwise consider a career on a factory floor.

Manufacturing Day is held the first Friday every October. Now in its sixth year, Manufacturing Day is a national event, executed at the local level, that supports thousands of manufacturers as they host students, teachers, parents, job seekers, and other community members at open houses designed to showcase modern manufacturing technology and careers.

For Plastic Molding Technology Inc. (PMT), El Paso, Texas, that first Friday in October represented the fourth straight year it’s opened its doors to high school students

PMT’s event showcased the innovative and modern plastics manufacturing industry, and provided hands-on learning opportunities for 25 career and technical Education students. The company also highlighted career paths in plastics along with PMT’s internships and apprenticeship programs.

For the first time, PMT collaborated with two other El Paso manufacturing businesses, working with the Borderplex Alliance—a nonprofit organization dedicated to economic development and policy advocacy in the El Paso; Las Cruces, N.M.; and Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua region—to coordinate and participate in a three-stop MFG Day tour event for high school students.

“Manufacturing is an excellent career choice for high school graduates in our area,” said Charles A. Sholtis, CEO of PMT. “In fact, Texas is the most-employed state in the U.S. plastics industry, which means there’s a lot of opportunity right here for the next generation of skilled workers.”

One of the big success stories of Texas manufacturing, Plastic Molding Technology (PMT; El Paso, TX) Inc. took the opportunity during a visit from U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Aug. 24 to showcase the plastics industry and voice concerns affecting manufacturing.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz toured the Plastic Molding Technology plant on Aug. 24.
Framing the visit around the importance of trade and the need for tax reform, CEO Charles A. Sholtis started the meeting by calling for a “do no harm” approach to NAFTA and expressing the vital role of the El Paso Borderplex region to manufacturing in the United States, said a news release from PMT.

“Texas is ranked first in the nation for plastics industry employment, and first in the nation for plastics industry shipments,” Sholtis commented. “To keep manufacturing thriving, we need to modernize NAFTA while keeping it effective for export-focused businesses like PMT.” View Article

At Plastic Molding Technology Inc. in El Paso, CEO Chuck Sholtis has ordered a $40,000 Universal Robots device to do pick-and-place work at his factory. It’ll help him compete with rivals in Mexico, Sholtis said, and some of his 100 employees will be freed up for more creative work. Like McMillan at Task Force Tips, he said he doesn’t anticipate letting anyone go. “We’re not giving the good jobs to robots.” View Article

On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump called the North American Free Trade Agreement “one of the worst things to happen to manufacturing in the United States.” Since the election, his top aides have suggested renegotiating it will be an early priority.

But for the plastics industry, reopening NAFTA could carry significant risk.

That’s because the U.S. plastics industry, in sharp contrast with much of the rest of manufacturing, has a trade surplus with Mexico.

Trade groups like the Plastics Industry Association say the surplus is “directly attributable” to NAFTA, which it said “has benefited American companies and American workers greatly ever since it entered into force.”

The head of the association, Bill Carteaux, said in January that concerns about risks to its export position were so high the group would be “fighting a rear-guard action on trade issues, like doing our best to keep the White House from unwinding NAFTA.”

“Renegotiating NAFTA is a good idea in theory but it will have broader implications than people realize,” said Charles Sholtis, CEO of Plastic Molding Technology Inc. in El Paso, Texas. “I’m in favor of renegotiating NAFTA. But to go out and take a machete and slap on a 20 percent tariff is a huge mistake.” View Article

As we launch into 2017, I’d like to emphasize an often overlooked point – the importance of workforce development in the Borderplex region.

In El Paso – as in Texas and throughout the nation – business owners are facing a skills gap. There are now more jobs requiring skilled workers in America than there are applicants. A report from the National Skills Coalition found middle-skill jobs comprise 55 percent of the Texas labor market – yet only 43 percent of Texas workers have the requisite training to qualify for these jobs.

The gap is even greater in El Paso – only 13 percent of workers qualify by recent estimates from the Brookings Institution.

To address this critical situation, we decided it was time to develop a collaborative effort to take ownership and find solutions.

Together with the city of El Paso and the great State of Texas, Plastic Molding Technology Inc. was awarded a Skills Development Fund grant from the Texas Workforce Commission. This grant boosted our efforts to solve the perennial shortage of skilled workers in both the El Paso-Juarez border region and in the plastics manufacturing industry. View Article

After years of working with the U.S. Commercial Service, a plastics molding company here has expanded its profit margin by more than $8 million and created more than 100 jobs through cross-border sales into Mexico.

Plastic Molding Technology, Inc., a manufacturer of injection-molded plastic components that produces more than 150 million parts per year, has worked with the U.S. Commercial Service in El Paso and New Mexico since 2011. During that time, Robert Queen, Director of U.S. Commercial Service-El Paso, worked with PMT to lock in several new customers across the border in Ciudad Juarez. View Article

Texas Workforce Commission presented the 2016 Skills Development Grant Fund Awards to Becton, Dickinson, and Company (BD) and Plastic Molding Technology, Inc., (PMT). BD was presented with a grant totaling $335,925 and PMT was awarded a grant of $216,523.

These companies will partner with El Paso Community College to provide job training and skills development on cutting edge technology and advanced manufacturing. Together, these grants will help provide training for 11 new jobs and 198 upgraded jobs for 209 trainees. The partnership between EPCC and these two companies builds on regional efforts to address workforce skills gaps through training, adult education and robust curriculum at local institutions of higher learning. View Article

El Paso has climbed to be the 11th largest exporter of goods among 388 metro areas in the United States and would overtake the San Francisco area for 10th if exports from neighboring Santa Teresa were included in the federal rankings released last week.

“This speaks in a very positive manner (about) the whole borderplex region and our strategic location to Mexico,” said Chuck Sholtis, CEO of his family’s Plastic Molding Technology, or PMT. The East El Paso factory supplies millions of plastic parts annually to Mexico manufacturing plants in the automotive and other industries.

About 85 percent of PMT’s plastic components are exported, mostly to assembly plants in Juárez and other areas of Mexico.

“Our business is growing incrementally,” Sholtis said. That growth has come since 2010 as the global economy recovered from the Great Recession and auto parts manufacturers in Mexico increased their demand for plastic components as automotive sales grew, he said.

Many companies that moved manufacturing to China and other areas have been moving manufacturing back to North America, and that also has helped business increase, he said. View Article

If the United States doesn’t move “sooner rather than later on the Cuban embargo, investment opportunities are going to pass us by,” Charles Sholtis, CEO of Plastic Molding Technology (PMT; El Paso, TX) told PlasticsToday following a recent visit to the island. He was part of a four-member delegation that went to Cuba to investigate the country’s market potential for plastics manufacturing.

SPI: The plastics industry trade association (Washington, DC) led the delegation, which also included SPI President and CEO Bill Carteaux, SPI Vice President for International Affairs and Trade Michael Taylor and Plastic Pipe Institute CEO Tony Radoszewski.

The trip coincided with President Obama’s historic visit, even though the SPI mission was scheduled well before, and that created some logistical complications, noted Sholtis. Nevertheless, they were able to visit two state-run manufacturing operations: A facility that makes polypropylene bags and textiles and a plant that injection molds food packaging and disposable dinnerware. In both instances, conditions were primitive, said Sholtis. View Article

“Manufacturing is so important not only to our region, but also to the economy of America, and I am proud PMT has become an essential link in the supply chain,” said PMT Owner and CEO Charles A. Sholtis.

PMT is a precision injection molder and plastic component supplier for diverse global markets. More than 85 percent of PMT’s finished products – about $8 million annually – are exported to an international client base, with Mexico as a primary market.

The company was nominated for the recognition by Robert Queen, director of the U.S. International Trade Administration’s El Paso and New Mexico Export Assistance Center, which is part of the Department of Commerce’s U.S. Commercial Service.

Sholtis grew up in Trumbull, Conn., with a brother, Todd, a manufacturers’ representative living in Florida.

“When my father [Charles E. Sholtis] started the business in 1973 [in Bridgeport, Conn.], I was there pretty much from day one” when he was 13, he said. “I set up molds, ran presses, swept floors and helped out with anything that needed to be done in the factory.”

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Villanova University in Villanova, Pa., and a master’s degree in management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at its Hartford, Conn., campus. View Article

EL PASO, Texas — El Paso factory owner Chuck Sholtis was enlisted Monday to help the Obama administration sell one of the world’s largest free-trade agreements.

Sholtis joined U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and Houston Mayor Annise Parker on a conference call with a handful of Texas reporters as part of President Barack Obama’s campaign to get the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, free-trade treaty through Congress in coming months.

Early this month, trade ministers for the United States, Mexico, Canada, Japan, Chile, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and Bruei Darussalam completed the treaty after five years of negotiations.

The agreement needs to be approved by the U.S. Congress and legislators in the other countries to become law. That lengthy process has yet to begin.

“We’re trying to get the word out that the TPP will be a positive for this region and for the plastic-molding industry,” Sholtis, chief executive officer and owner of Plastic Molding Technology, or PMT, in East El Paso, said on the conference call, which included journalists for the Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News, and El Paso Times. “Trade agreements are vital to the manufacturing sector in America.” View Article

EL PASO, Texas — Charles A. Sholtis, CEO of Plastic Molding Technology Inc., received the 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Business Management Award on March 22, the night before opening day of NPE2015. The award is one of the highest honors SPE bestows on an individual, recognizing outstanding achievement in the management of corporations, according to SPE President Vijay Boolani.

“I am honored simply to have been nominated for this award; to be named the recipient is extraordinary,” Sholtis said. “This honor serves as a validation of the hard work and dedication I’ve put into PMT.”

Sholtis thanked the many people who helped build PMT. “This award is much bigger than me; it is about the people in my factory who work daily in the pursuit of excellence,” he said in his acceptance speech.

Sholtis also attributed winning the award to the support of his family, including his father Charles E. Sholtis, the now-retired founder, Chairman and Chief Engineer of PMT. “He encouraged me to pursue my education and establish a strong work ethic. Because of his support, I became the first Sholtis in our generation to receive an advanced college degree,” he said. Sholtis said this education helped establish the foundation he would later need as the second-generation owner and leader of PMT. View Article

ORLANDO, FLA — Charles A. Sholtis, CEO of custom injection molder Plastic Molding Technology Inc. in El Paso, Texas, won SPE’s Business Management Award. “This award is much bigger than me. It’s about the people in my factory that work hard every day. It’s also about more — the American dream,” he said. View Article

If anyone doubts that “shoot-and-ship” molding is a thing of the past, they might want to visit Plastic Molding Technology (PMT), Inc. at its 60,000 ft² plant in El Paso, Tex. The molder is constantly challenging itself, exploring new markets, and investing in new technology. Have you ever heard of a molder with a drone? View Article

EL PASO, Texas — Charles A. Sholtis, owner and CEO of Plastic Molding Technology, is the 2015 recipient of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Business Management Award. The award is one of the highest honors SPE bestows upon an individual, recognizing outstanding achievements in the management of a corporation, according to current SPE President Vijay Boolani. View Article

EL PASO, Texas — Plastic Molding Technology, or PMT, recently added about $500,000 in new equipment to its East Side factory, company officials reported this week. It added three electric Toshiba, 55-ton plastic-molding machines, which replaced eight machines that were over 15 years old. The factory now has 27 electric plastic-molding machines. It also added a machining center, which boosted capabilities for tool repair and tool engineering. It also added a 3-D printer, which can produce fixtures and sample prototypes in less than 24 hours. View Article

Plastic Molding Technology Inc. of El Paso, Texas, invested about $500,000 for three more all-electric presses, a machining center and a three-dimensional printer. To meet production quality demands, the custom injection molder began operating the three 55-ton Toshiba EC55SX molding machines in November and discontinued use of eight presses, each in service for more than 15 years. View Article

Getting greener and leaner is not only saving Plastic Molding Technology’s El Paso factory more than $300,000 a year, it’s also brought it a prestigious national award.

PMT, a 40 year-old, family-owned company which moved its operations from Connecticut to El Paso about 10 years ago, is one of two companies to be named Manufacturer of the Year this month by the Manufacturing Leadership Council. The council is a manufacturing executives’ network run by global consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, which is based in California. View Article

EL PASO, Texas — Plastic Molding Technology, Inc. (PMT) was named Manufacturer of the Year at the 10th Annual Manufacturing Leadership Summit June 6th in Palm Beach, Florida. In addition to being the top honoree among companies with revenues of less than $1 billion, PMT also received the Operational Leadership Award and the Sustainability Leadership Award. View Article

EL PASO, Texas – Plastic Molding Technology Inc. has been recognized with two 2014 Manufacturing Leadership Awards (ML Awards), presented by the Manufacturing Leadership Council and Frost & Sullivan. PMT was nominated by IQMS for both awards, and received the Sustainability Leadership Award for excellence in its implementation of sustainable practices, as well as an Operational Leadership Award for the company’s exemplary focus on continuous improvement. View Article

EL PASO INC. — In a famous scene from the 1967 movie “The Graduate,” Dustin Hoffman’s character receives some career advice from a smug businessman: “I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? Plastics. There’s a great future in plastics.” View Article in El Paso Inc.

EL PASO, TEXAS— Joining 823 manufacturers across the nation, Plastic Molding Technology Inc. (PMT) celebrated Manufacturing Day 2013 on Friday, October 4 with a well-attended plant tour highlighting the importance of manufacturing to the U.S. economy and showcasing the rewarding, highly skilled jobs available in the field. View Article

EL PASO, TEXAS — A growing concern for today’s manufacturers across the industry spectrum, energy consumption continues to be a prime target for improving sustainability practices. The focus of much of this concern is on the plastics industry, due to its considerable energy usage and often untapped potential for energy savings. View Article